Suntarine Perkins wins 2026 Chucky Mullins Courage Award
- Story byNortheast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo
- Suntarine Perkins wins 2026 Chucky Mullins Courage Award
OXFORD – Ole Miss senior linebacker Suntarine Perkins has been named the winner of the 2026 Chucky Mullins Courage Award, the school announced Saturday morning.
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Karen Phillips and her husband, Carver, didn't see the fateful hit when it happened. In hindsight, she believes that was probably for the best.
Perkins, a Raleigh, Mississippi native, will have the option to wear No. 38 or a commemorative patch this season. The number is otherwise retired to honor Mullins, who played at Ole Miss and was paralyzed after making a tackle in a 1989 game against Vanderbilt. The award is "presented annually to an Ole Miss upperclassman defensive player that embodies the spirit of Mullins – courage, leadership, perseverance and determination." Mullins died in 1991.
Winners remember the man behind Ole Miss' prestigious Chucky Mullins Courage Award
OXFORD — In an era before ESPN was widespread and the day's news was readily available in the palm of your hand, Derek Jones knew Chucky Mullins. Not so much who Mullins necessarily was as a football player, because that wasn't really the point of the story Jones was told.
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Previous players to earn the honor include Derek Jones, Patrick Willis , Mike Hilton , KD Hill, Cedric Johnson , JJ Pegues and last year's winner Tyler Banks.
Perkins was a five-star recruit in the 2023 class and has started 25 games over his three seasons at Ole Miss. He has made 179 total tackles in his career – including 32 for loss – and has 18.5 careers sacks. Perkins tied the single-season school record with 10.5 sacks in 2024 and made a career-high 81 tackles in 2025. He also had six pass deflections, three forced fumbles and an interception last season.
"I'm glad I chose to come here. And then when I finally got here, I realized this is home. This is where I belong," Perkins told the Daily Journal Thursday. " … You can always stay home and be a part of where you come from."
